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On Display -- Archive

April 2011

Hats, Naturally Inspired

A number of students from the Fiber Arts/Material Studies MFA degree program classes FIB 326 and 426 have placed hats inspired by the natural world in the Learning Commons for visitors to experience. Each of the hats in this set incorporate soft materials and an organic feel.

Betzaida Allman

Circle Around the Earth

I was inspired to make this hat from an image of the earth. I started with the idea of natural environments using the circle as the earth with the fabric showing the earth tones of the world. This allowed me to give a meaning to insignificant things that surround me.

Lindsay Mox

Hair Net

This peice began as a study of the form of the head in contrast with the forms that grow out of it; horns and hair of sorts. My study brought me to an odd result. I can honestly say this is one of the weirdest peices I have created. Through various techniques the headpeice has absorbed multiple textures. As I worked I found that the project kept picking up oddities here and there. The name refers not to the function of a regular hair net, but rather to the hair acting as a net and catching things as it goes along.

Lynn Hoppel

High Pressure

"Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us show up and get to work."
-Chuck Close

Creativity is not a process of art but a reaction of need, not a talent but a result of doing, making, trying. Doing more = high efficiency = more pressure = greater results =doing more. It has become apparent in these works, when compared to daily.

Stephanie Muto-Graves

Ode To Moss

For this hat I was inspired by the moss we find on the rocks or trees in nature. I wanted to reference something with texture, which is why I chose this as an inspiration. It is interesting to me that something that is normally found creeping up from the ground is now presented at the top of the body.

Sheridonna F. Wilson-Bedell

Wildlife Meets Fashion

In this collection nature and objects from our environment inspired me. I love the unique shapes from out environment, for example trees, leaves, animals, balloons and the poolside just to name a few. I was give one element to work with, the environment. What do you get when you mix animals and fashion. You get a fabulous original wolf headdress scarf that can be used to keep warm as well as looking fabulous! My original designed deep Cowl dress with the same wolf trimmings on the wrist also inspired me. I wanted to see the two peices working together on the runway. Overall this project helped me to realize I love to design unique and specilized hats made from using unusual materials. My goal is to start a hat collection in the near future.

March 2011

Hats! Wonderful Hats!

March, when spring is almost close enough to taste on the air, is a month for hats. It is also the birth month of Dr. Seuss and, by way of celebration, Read Across America Day took place on March 2nd. Here at Bird Library the Fiber Arts/Material Studies MFA degree program has granted us a chance to share in the spirit of the season by setting up a selection of hats inspired by the works of the distinguished Doctor.

Stefanie Muto-Graves

The Essence of Seuss

This hat was designed through the inspiration of Dr. Seuss. When reminded of Dr. Seuss, the first characteristics that come to mind are the use of red and white stripes and exaggeration (as seen in the tall white and red striped hat in The Cat In The Hat). Also, Dr. Seuss uses swirls in a lot of his picture books, which adds an element of quirkiness. When reminiscing Dr. Seuss, I also think of Thing 1 and Thing 2’s puffy blue hair. I wanted to incorporate all these elements into a hat.

Lynn Hoppel

Just One Thing

A sprite’s might
is quite a sight, but
a fairy in flight
is out of sight.

bits and bobs
kits and cobs
zits and gobs

pits and sobs
fits and throbs
hits and jobs

slits and slobs
snits and snobs
tits and mobs

A tweedle without his dee is just dumb.

Elin Beth Sandberg

Plastic Wrappers on the Human Head

Sandwich wrapped in a wrapper.
Food stored in plastic
bags and containers.
Mass produced containers
for mass produced food.
Plastic leftovers weigh on
our and our children’s heads.

Jessica Haberny

Wig

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins is the Dr. Seuss book that inspired me to want to recreate King Derwin’s powdered peruke. Specialty wigs have been worn as sign of wealth, for anonymity, for occupational grounds, hair loss, stylization and other various reasons. I chose to recreate the wig because the rich crochet textures mimics the 500th hat that saves the life of Bartholomew Cubbins, and comments on the grandiose nature of historical dressings.

Lindsay Mox

frumpamacallit (FRUMP-A-MA-CALL-IT)

Whenever one is feeling a little frumpy, grab this hat and take a nap. The warm,
gray yarn and the slouchy layers compliment any sort of frumpy mood. The
chinstrap will keep the frumpamacallit snugly on top of your head through
the slow moving rolls of your frumpy nap. For full effect, let the frumpamacallit
fully engulf your face.

Sheridonna Wilson-Bedell

SE Shore Surprise

My name is Sheridonna Wilson-Bedell. I am a fashion design student. The “SE Shore Surprise” hat was inspired by Dr. Guess “ Clam-I am”, as well as my childhood memory to the beach. Being from Kingston Jamaica I grew up going to the beach all the time. The shape of the hat is a seashell with a modern twist. My fashion influence was Christian Dior (1950) “New Look” Era. I decided to create a wave like crochet pattern to reflect the ocean. Chicken wire was well as batting was used for the structure of the piece. My color palette was simple colors that you can find at the beach, which are deep blue and white that symbolizing the waves moving as one. I wanted to show all the islands that surround Jamaica so I added a special fabric I purchased in Kingston, Jamaica this summer in the middle of the piece fro excitement. In addition a tailored color was created with an accent gold button to finish the project. The fabrics I used were satin, nylon, silk chiffon and knit. These are fabrics that interest me as of now in my fashion design career.

February 2011

Spring Festival Decorations

During the end of January and first two weeks of February 2011, decorations honoring the Chinese Spring Festival adorned various areas on the 1st floor of Bird Library. The decorations were created and displayed by the Chinese Student and Scholar Association (CSSA) and the “Folk Arts, Festival and Public Display” (ANT 300/HNR 340/SOL 360) class. Chinese red lanterns, the Chinese Knot tree, Chinese Zodiac, and more are on display at the Learning Commons. View the details and pictures of each decoration below.

the wishing tree

Located outside of the Peter Graham room is the wishing tree and it is decorated with Chinese Knots. The Chinese Knots are intelligence symbols of ancient Chinese civilization, and have undergone thousands of years of evolution. As the sign on the tree says, “Chinese Knots represent a long history of Chinese customs, tradition and aesthetic concepts. Also, it brings good luck to people who wear it.” There are a number of wishes are written on the tree such as: “Get warm (so cold here)!” “More SU basketball wins please!” “Don’t take things so seriously!” “Get good rest for new year.”

The tree itself was created by Rachel Jean Kelchlin. It was installed in Bird several months earlier as part of a fiber arts class project. Our thanks to Rachel for letting her tree stay a little bit longer in order to hold so many good wishes.

The Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac signs can be seen along the windows and glass doors on the 1^st floor, and include eleven natural animals consisting of the Rats, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, and the Dragon. Chinese have their own zodiac, and this is the Rabbit year.

Couplets

Along the base of the stairs, Chinese language Couplets can be seen on the glass walls and windows. Couplets are written on paper or wood, consisting of concise statements, rhythm coordination and parallel sentence structure. As the description near the Couplets states: “Writing couplets has become a time of social custom before Chinese New Year since Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, announced everyone must write a couplet on their door before Chinese New Year’s Eve.”

Paper Lanterns

The Chinese lanterns can be seen in a variety of locations on the 1^st floor. The description reads: “The Chinese Lantern originated in the Western Han Dynasty 1800 years ago. People hang red lanterns, a symbolic meaning of reunion, to create a festival environment before the annual Lunar New Year Lantern Festival. The Chinese lantern is not only for lighting but also a symbol of happiness. Hanging lanterns is to celebrate peace and prosperity. By the flickering lights, lanterns symbolize “luck” and “riches,” so the custom of hanging lanterns is still popular now in China.” CSSA also decorated the SU Quad with Chinese lanterns from February 1^st through February 5^th.

Paper Cutting

Examples of Chinese paper cutting can be seen in a wooden case near the base of the stairs on the 1st floor in the LC. The description posted near the case reads: “Chinese paper cutting is a unique art form and has existed for thousands of years… In the rural countryside in mainland China, paper cutting is a traditionally female activity... but professional paper cutting artists are usually male. Today, paper cuttings are chiefly decorative.” The descriptions also says that paper cut outs are supposed to bring good luck, so hopefully the LC will have much luck this year!